The present invention relates in general to a wire working machine that may be employed in the construction of torsion springs and in connection with other wire forming operations. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an improvement in wire working machines particularly, duplex wire working machines, providing for improved efficiency in spring forming.
Presently existing wire working or torsion spring forming machines operate on the basis of providing wire forming or feeding steps during 180.degree. of rotation of the main drive shaft or cam shaft, and the winding step is carried out in the other 180.degree. of rotation. See by way of example, our U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,351,101 and 4,416,135. Reference will also be made hereinafter to prior art constructions set forth in FIGS. 1 and 2 herein.
Disadvantages have now been recognized concerning these known machines relating primarily to the fact that due to the equal division of winding and forming-feeding, one is generally limited in the complexity of forming operations that can be carried out with the machine. The existing machines also, due to this form of operation, are limited in the speed of spring making that is attainable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wire working or torsion spring forming machine that is capable of the construction of more complex spring forming operations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire working machine having improved flexibility of operation by virtue of providing control of the duration of respective winding and forming-feeding periods.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire working machine as in accordance with the preceding object and in which, for a single cam shaft rotation, the forming-feeding time interval is greater than the winding time interval, or alternatively, the winding time interval is greater than the forming-feeding time interval.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire working or torsion spring forming machine that employs non-circular gear means intercoupling the machine cam shaft means with wire winding means so as to provide variable speed wire winding corresponding to constant speed rotation of the cam shaft means.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire working machine that enables an increase in speed of operation even when constructing relatively complex spring configurations.